To Advance Agri-Tourism Requires Strengthening Agriculture and Fisheries – Minister

Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Hon. Floyd Green, says strengthening agriculture and fisheries is essential to advancing Jamaica’s agri-tourism agenda.

“For you to have a strong agri-tourism, you have to have strong on both sides… you have to have a strong agricultural base… and then a strong tourism base, and then opportunity for linkages on both,” the Minister said.

Mr. Green was participating in a panel discussion during the Jamaica Money Market Brokers (JMMB) Thought Leadership Breakfast, hosted by the JMMB Group at Jakes Hotel in Treasure Beach, St. Elizabeth, recently.

The Minister pointed to ongoing support for farmers, particularly in drought-prone areas.

“We’ve been getting to the farmers to help them with small irrigation kits, especially in an area like this, where there is a challenge in relation to water and long-standing drought. Having drip irrigation and having storage are critical,” he said.

The Minister highlighted efforts to modernise irrigation systems and improve efficiency through renewable energy.

“We have been trying to ensure that we are now infusing renewable energy in all our irrigation systems… we have been rolling out solar [ power] in all our irrigation systems,” the Minister noted.

He outlined that these measures were instrumental in the sector’s recovery following Hurricane Melissa in October last year.

“Seventy-five per cent of our irrigation customers had back irrigation a week after Hurricane Melissa because we had backup generation that we were able to deploy,” he said.

Mr. Green added that expanded irrigation infrastructure will further boost production, particularly in St. Elizabeth.

“In this area, we already have in this budget $500 million to continue implementing the Pedro Plains Irrigation Scheme… which will bring irrigation to about 3,000 hectares of land,” he stated.

The Minister also pointed out measures aimed at reducing post-harvest losses and strengthening supply to the tourism sector.

“We do know our challenge that we have is loss and wastage… so there are things like drying facilities for onion farmers, so that they can preserve the product longer,” he noted.

Turning to fisheries, Mr. Green emphasised the importance of expanding operations to offshore areas and targeting high-value species.

“Part of what we’re doing is training our fishers to go farther out… so that they can catch more pelagic species that unfortunately we are now importing,” he said.

He also highlighted the use of fish-aggregating devices (FADs) and training programmes to improve yields and strengthen linkages with tourism.

Mr. Green indicated that fishers are being equipped to participate more directly in the tourism sector.

“Through the TPDCo, [we have] been able to train and certify these fishermen as tour guides,” he added.

The Minister also underscored the importance of marine sanctuaries in rebuilding fish stocks and supporting ecotourism.